California bill to wean power sector off fossil fuels dies for this year

[September 16, 2017]    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - A long-shot plan to wean California's power sector entirely off fossil fuels by 2045 was put on hold until 2018 on Saturday, as lawmakers recessed for the year without hearing the measure.

The bill was strongly opposed by the state's investor-owned utility companies, who said it would not protect consumers from the expense of speeding up the switch to renewable and carbon neutral fuels.

Assemblyman Chris Holden, who held the measure in his Utilities and Energy Committee, said he would consider it again when the legislature returns in January for the second half of its two-year session.

(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Andrew Bolton)

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